November 22, 2016

Do not let Malaysian bellies growl

It is the bread and butter issues that make the people of a country sit down or stand up.

Only when the bellies start to growl, would the voters’ backlash be something the authorities would not be able to handle.

Thus, before the bellies start to growl, it is best that the ones in charge ensure the people do not go hungry.

Malaysians are largely fortunate, as we still have, at its worst, a bowl of plain porridge to eat. Yet, for those of us who are used to having a moderately better life and better things, the increased cost of living is starting to bite us.

For now, we may not be eating bread and butter, but cooking oil, sugar and flour have increased in prices. Even a handful of ikan bilis is not less than RM1.

The ones who are mostly feel affected by bread and butter issues are the middle income earners as they are the ones who will slide back into the lower income earners.

The lower income earners will be affected, but they are already struggling and tightening their belts and they are proven survivors, as painful as it is.

For the higher income earners, they are able to fall back on their savings and still manage to live comfortably – worse comes to worse, they will just slide into middle income earners.

However, for the middle income earners, they are not used to tightening their belts and they have no savings, thus, it is a most painful process. This is also why street rallies against the increased corruption and higher cost of living are mostly attended by middle income earners.

While Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak is absolutely correct when he stated that voters want to see plans and policies and how their future can be guaranteed and improved, he must remember that voters want to see the government walk the talk.

Salleh also said large crowds at rallies would not put food on the table.

“In any election anywhere in the world, it is always bread and butter issues, and this is what the Government is going to focus on.

“We should not menang sorak kampung tergadai (winning the battle but losing the war),” said Salleh in his latest blog post on Sunday night, reported The Star.

Salleh, in having put the rhetoric out, must now stop talking and ensure he is not merely being the loudhailer for the government’s plain talk, but he must push for the authorities to ensure bread and butter issues are solved.

Or he too will be pushed out and he may just be one of those in the rallies in the near future.